


To Finish First...

by lostinlunar



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex is a Doctor, Alternate Universe - Formula One, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Racing, F/F, Human Kara Danvers, Injury Recovery, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2020-07-08 07:41:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19865941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostinlunar/pseuds/lostinlunar
Summary: At the peak of her career, Kara Danvers always kept her identity under wraps - even when a crash took her out of the game.Five years after the crash that ended her racing career, Kara finds herself as Cat Grant's personal driver.Unexpected feelings have Kara opening up about her past, and hoping for her future.Will the Supergirl ever race again?Welcome to the Racer!Kara fic.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FemslashFetale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FemslashFetale/gifts).



> So, I should start by saying that this was supposed to be a neat little 1k character study on how hopelessly in love Cat Grant was with her driver. I wrote that. Then I kept writing.  
> This is most likely nothing like the prompt you imagined getting back, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. Merry Christmas in July!

She would deny it if it ever got out, but Cat Grant always called her drivers by the correct names.  
They saw her at the end of her worst days - when the board tried to throw a coup, or a day from print with something wrong on every layout, or the days when her assistant made nothing easier and consistently got her coffee order wrong. They saw her when she was tired and drained, her sarcasm and sharp tongue exhausted - they got to see Cat Grant when her defences were down.  
They also saw her on the best days. They saw her after she signed for a new acquisition, and beamed with pride behind the privacy of tinted glass. They saw the rare times she afforded herself a moment of relaxation in the back of the sleek town car. They saw the love in her eyes for the son who chattered away about science and comics and heroes as he rode to school with her.  
Cat Grant’s drivers knew better than any other employee just how human she was. They had seen every extreme mood, every drunken ride from a bar, every bone-tired, post 2.a.m journey from the office - and they did their jobs perfectly. They were all respectful, discreet and quiet. They spoke to no one about the things they saw or heard inside the car, not even to Cat herself.  
Cat knew they were paid handsomely for it - with a killer non-disclosure agreement to boot - but she still felt a certain level of respect was due for their diligence, considering the things they _had_ seen and heard, and so she always got their names right.  
Almost always.  
Except for the young blonde, the one with the kind eyes and dazzling smile. Kara, her name was - and she was gorgeous, in a very down-home, Midwest kind of way. She was relatively new, only hired a couple of months ago.  
And she was _chatty_.  
At first, it had aggravated Cat, so she retaliated in the only way she knew. _Kiera_ , she called her, even though she had always known what it really was.  
But then the girl worked her first morning shift where Carter needed a ride to school. He’d warmed to her, quicker than anyone Cat could ever remember. The car hadn’t made it five blocks from the penthouse and Carter was deep in conversation with her about some science thing Cat didn’t understand, and all she could do was stare.  
The girl was never quiet after that. If Cat got in the car in a good mood, she was met with one of those dazzling smiles and questions about her day and how Carter was. If Cat wasn’t happy when she got in the car, the girl’s brow instantly furrowed. It gave her a crinkle between her eyebrows. The crinkle was usually followed by the most genuine ‘”Are you okay, Miss Grant?”’ that she had ever been on the receiving end of. Cat never knew how to answer in the face of all that concern, so she simply waved her off each time.  
Against all her better judgement, the media mogul found herself having feelings for Kara. The girl cared too much and got too involved, but she made her shy and reserved son light up and pulled genuine smiles from Cat with an ease that amazed the older woman every time. She was stunning and joyful and kind, and Cat found herself wanting to get to know her, to be able to take her hand, or something equally sentimental and cliched. And so using the wrong name became a way to protect herself, to keep the girl at a distance - emotionally at least. If Kara thought Cat didn’t care enough to even know her name, then it would stop her from thinking that Cat cared at all.

Today, however, Cat found herself unable to wave the girl away or keep that distance she’d worked so hard to build. The CEO bundled herself into the car before the young woman could even think about getting out to hold the door for her. She twisted in her seat to look back at Cat, the crinkle quickly appearing as she took in Cat’s tense frame.  
“Is everything alright, Miss Grant?” She asked softly, almost as one would when approaching a spooked animal.  
Cat snapped her head up and examined Kara’s face. The concern was genuine, same as always. Except when Cat opened her mouth to dismiss her worry, the words seemed to jump from her unbidden.  
“It’s Carter. He had an accident at school - he hit his head or something.” She took a shaky breath, her voice cracking. “I need you to get me there _now_ , Kara.”  
The girl righted herself in her seat and gripped the steering wheel; meeting Cat’s eyes in the rearview mirror. A determination set over her features, one fierce enough to rival Cat’s own.  
“Hold on tight, Miss Grant.”  
Kara was an exceptionally skilled driver, Cat had to give her that. She was sure the girl had broken countless traffic laws in her haste to get get her boss to the school, and yet Cat never felt anything but completely safe with Kara behind the wheel of the town car.  
They were outside Carter’s school in record time, but Cat paused as she reached for the door handle.  
“Wait here, I’ll be back with him soon.” She glanced at Kara, waiting for the girl to nod an affirmative. She received it and was off, moving through the school at speed as the receptionist did her best to keep up. Cat ignored her, focusing on the way to the nurses’ office, and tried not to examine why she’d felt the need to explain herself to her driver too closely.

True to her word, Cat walked back out of the school ten minutes later with Carter tucked under her arm. They found Kara leaning against the side of the car. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say the girl was favouring her left leg. The crinkle was back between her eyebrows, more profound than usual. It disappeared when she saw Carter, a soft, natural smile taking its place.  
“Hey, buddy. Heard you had a rough day. There’s a bottle of water and one of those snack bars you like in the back.”  
Carter smiled back at her gratefully. “Thanks, Kara.”  
“No problem.”  
Cat rubbed his arm, drawing his attention.  
“Why don’t you get started on that snack, sweetheart? We’ll be in a minute, I just need to ask Kara something.”  
Carter nodded gently, as if it hurt to move his head too much, and clambered inside the town car.  
“Is he okay?” Kara asked once the door was firmly shut behind the boy.  
“So they say. I think I’m going to take him to get checked out though. That nurse didn’t exactly seem experienced.”  
“Hold on, I have an idea. Let me make a call.” Kara said, and before Cat could question her, she was pulling out her phone and dialling a number.  
“Hey, I need a favour.” A pause as she listened to whoever was on the other end of the phone. “Miss Grant’s son had an accident, hit his head. He seems fine, but she just wants him checked out. Can you fit him in?” Another pause, then a brilliant grin crept over her face. “You’re the best! I love you. We’ll be there in 15.”  
Cat’s heart plummeted into her stomach. Of course, this beautiful girl was dating someone. Someone who apparently was some kind of doctor - helping small children, no less. She’d probably laugh if she were thinking rationally.  
Kara turned her attention back to Cat as she pocketed the phone.  
“My sister is head of paediatrics at National City General. She has time to check him out herself in about 20 minutes, so we should probably get going.”  
Cat blinked. A sister. Kara had never mentioned a sister. But then again, Cat wasn’t one for asking personal questions. She felt her heart climbing back into her chest. She swallowed and found herself unsure of what to say. She settled for: “Well, aren’t you full of surprises?”  
Kara blushed slightly and chuckled. “It’s nothing, Miss Grant. And I’m sorry about the snack - not asking if it was alright - I just didn’t want him going into shock. It sometimes happens a while after an accident, and food and water help stop it. I know it wasn’t exactly a huge trauma, but even smaller things can be a bit much for a kid Carter’s age.” She bit her lip, almost as if waiting to be reprimanded. Cat just stared. This girl really had a way of catching her by surprise.  
“I didn’t even think of that.”  
“I only know because of my sister. He’d probably be fine without them,” Kara rushed to assure her boss. “I just wanted to be sure. Better safe than sorry, I guess.”  
Cat reached out on impulse, grasping Kara’s forearm, looking for a way to convey her gratitude.  
“Thank you.” The words were barely more than a whisper.  
They were met with one of those dazzling smiles Cat thought about far too often, the ones that made her heart pick up speed.  
“No problem, Miss Grant. Shall we get going?”  
Cat nodded, reluctantly letting go of the girl’s arm and joining her son in the back seat.  
“So, doctor’s office or hospital?” Carter grinned cheekily. Cat pursed her lips.  
“How did you know?” She narrowed her eyes at him.  
“You worry too much. You wanna hear I’m okay from someone with too many degrees and much more experience than the school nurse - who, by the way, is cool and pretty good at her job.” Cater looked at her, raising an eyebrow in a near-perfect replica of one of her favourite expressions. Curse those genes of hers, the boy really was too smart for his own good.  
“You hit your head. I’m going to need more than ‘cool and pretty good at her job’, Carter.” She smiled softly. “We’re going to the hospital.”  
“Mom!” He whined, sounding every bit the teenager he was soon to be. “The ER will take forever. What about Kara? Kara, tell her you don’t wanna wait in this car for hours while we’re in the ER.”  
Kara chuckled as she drove.  
“No can do, buddy. Besides, if you’d let your mom finish,” She glanced in the rearview pointedly. “You’d know that you’re not going to the ER.”  
“I’m not?”  
“Nope. My sister is a doctor, and she said she would take a look at you. She’s pretty awesome, and she’s letting you skip the ER.”  
Carter took a moment to absorb the new information. The two women could practically see the questions forming in his head.  
Carter started. “What’s her name?”  
“Alex.”  
“What kind of doctor is she?”  
“She’s a paediatric surgeon - a doctor that specialises in kids. She’s actually in charge of the whole kids’ department of the hospital.” Kara smiled at him in the rearview.  
“Wait, so she’s, like, _operated_ on people?!” He exclaimed.  
Cat grinned and suppressed the urge to laugh. It was going to be a long drive. Carter was on a roll now, firing question after question at Kara - who answered them all quickly and tactfully, never losing that charming smile. Cat was impressed, and it made her all the more aware of how strong her feelings were becoming. She watched her, hoping Kara was too focused on the road and Carter’s never-ending questions to notice how smitten Cat probably looked in that moment.


	2. Chapter 2

They arrived at the hospital with time to spare. Kara climbed out to hold the door for them and found Carter halfway to the ground by the time she moved around the car. She waited for Cat to step out before she spoke.  
“I thought I’d walk you in?” Kara saw the surprise on Cat’s face and hurried to explain herself, falling into one of those rambles that Cat secretly found adorable. “It’s just, well, it’s a maze in there. I mean I got lost the first twenty times I tried to find her offi-“  
“Kara, breathe.” Cat interrupted her, amusement in her eyes and a smile on her face. “Walking with us would be great, thank you.”  
Kara’s face flamed as she nodded. “Alright. Come on, kiddo.”  
She walked them through the halls, and Cat found herself watching the way her driver moved. She was stiff, definitely avoiding her left leg now, Cat was sure. There was something about Kara that Cat clearly didn’t know.  
They arrived at a wooden door at the entrance to the paediatric ward - the sister’s office, Cat decided. She watched, huffing a laugh as Kara knocked on the door and then let herself in any way.  
“Hey, Alex.”  
“Hey, Kar.” The reply came from a pretty brunette with dark eyes and a white coat. Cat put her hand on Carter’s shoulder as they followed Kara into the room, all too aware of her son’s discomfort around strangers.  
“Carter, this is my big sister Alex. You can ask her all those questions you had in the car that I wasn’t clever enough to know the answers to.” The blonde dropped her voice to a mock whisper, smiling at Carter conspiratorially. “She’s a _huge_ nerd.”  
Cat watched on with amusement when the sister protested and prodded Kara in the side, the girl yelped, and Cat allowed herself a smile. She felt Carter relax enough to begin to laugh at their antics.  
Alex refocused her attention on Carter, turning to him with kind eyes and an easy grin. “Hey Carter, it’s nice to finally meet you. So, my sister may be right about me being a nerd. In fact, Kara told me you won your last science fair with a robotics project, which sounds awesome. Wanna tell me about it while I check out that bump on your head?”  
Cat had to work very hard at keeping the surprise off her face as Carter looked back at her for reassurance. She smiled down at him, and that was all it took. He followed the brunette across her office and jumped up on the exam table, already talking at lightning speed about the project.  
There was a flutter of movement to her right, and Cat pursed her lips.  
“Miss Grant-“  
“Why,” Cat cut her off, sucking in a breath as her anger rose, “does your sister know about my son’s science fair? Do the terms of your non-disclosure mean anything to you, Kiera? Do you not want your job?”  
Kara winced at the return to the wrong name, and Cat did her best to ignore the twist in her gut at the girl’s wounded expression. To Cat’s surprise, Kara took a steadying breath and lifted her chin in a proud movement, and met her eyes.  
“Do you remember the day his school got let out early because a kid accidentally set fire to the science room? You were in a meeting with the board you couldn’t get out of. You asked me to go get Carter and hang out until you were done because he wasn’t comfortable being alone with your assistant. While we were waiting for you, he told me he’d come up with this idea for a robotics project the day before, but he was stuck on a hypothetical.  
My sister has a degree in some kind of biotechnology, as well as her medical degree. I don’t know the specifics, but I know it all amounts to the fact she’s brilliant _and_ talented. She designs and builds robotic prosthetics when she’s not performing surgeries.  
When he told me he was stuck, I said that I knew someone who worked in robotics and I could ask them about his hypothetical if he wanted. He said yes, so I asked Alex. She’d helped him out and wanted to know how he did. Carter doesn’t know who I asked.”  
Cat stood, quietly absorbing the new information. Kara braced herself for a scathing reply, but none came. Nodding distractedly, she excused herself.  
“Alex is probably going to want an x-ray to be sure he’s okay, it won’t take long. I’ll give you guys some privacy, I need a coffee anyway.” And with that, Kara slipped from the room.

Cat Grant didn’t often find herself feeling uncomfortable. Seeing how she had spent the last 20 years building both an empire that she alone was in control of and an impenetrable air of confidence and assuredness around herself, it was a sensation she was entirely unfamiliar with. Needless to say, she did not like it.  
Yet here she was, behind the desk in an x-ray room with the older sister of the girl she was doing her best to not be in love with.  
“You know, I’m having a hard time seeing what it is about you that she likes so much,” Alex said quietly as she flipped a series of switches on the equipment in front of them. Cat looked over at her in surprise. “Don’t worry, she didn’t say anything else that would violate your precious NDA. Just lots of ‘Miss Grant’s so nice, Miss Grant’s so funny”, and so on. Can’t really say I’m getting much of that from you right now.”  
Cat cleared her throat. “So I make an effort to be nicer to my drivers than I do most people. Tell me, do you know how many people have been killed by their drivers? I’m not exactly keen on giving mine a reason to run me into a ditch, Alexandra.”  
“Ah, _there’s_ the funny. How do you know my full name?”  
“You’re next of kin in her employee file. It didn’t say who you were to Kara, though.”  
“So you do know her name.”  
“I do.” She didn’t see the point in denying it.  
“Kara, she…” Alex paused, seemingly searching for the right words. “She really loves working for you. Tells me all the time how normal it makes her feel. That’s no small thing for Kara, Miss Grant, I promise you that. It took me _days_ to get the news about Carter’s competition out of her because she was terrified about jeopardising her place with you.  
But honestly, I’m glad she told me. Because I knew about that competition, your son is comfortable with me as his doctor. If I were you, that would be much more important to me than some non-disclosure agreement she breached to help him with a science project.”  
“It is.” Cat sighed. “Your sister seems to have a way of… getting under my skin. It’s why I started calling her Keira.”  
Alex laughed richly.  
“Don’t I know it. When I met her, I refused to talk to her for six months. She literally annoyed me into talking to her in the end. But, she’s been my best friend ever since.” She caught Cat’s inquisitive look and shook her head. “It’s not my story to tell, Miss Grant. If she hasn’t told you, I’m not going to. That’s a conversation you need to have with my sister.”  
Feeling slightly wounded that Kara hadn’t trusted her, the older woman opened her mouth and asked the question she knew she probably shouldn’t.  
“Would this have something to do with the limp she’s been trying to hide today?”  
Alex’s eyes widened, and she changed the subject abruptly as she turned her attention to the images appearing on the monitor.  
“That boy of yours is pretty incredible, you know? If I’d have shown his kind of promise in robotics at his age, I wouldn’t have had to become a surgeon.”  
Now it was Cat’s turn to laugh. “Yeah, he’s something special.”  
“And he’s all clear. I wanna do one last physical check when we get back to the room to be extra sure, but you should be out of here soon.” Alex gathered her things and paused in the doorway, looking back at the blonde. “Oh, and Miss Grant? There was one other thing that Kara said about you. I got that one right away.”  
“Which was?” Cat quirked a brow.  
“You _are_ incredibly pretty.”

Kara was waiting for them when they got back to Alex’s office. She was perched on her sister’s desk, a takeout coffee cup clutched in her hands. There were three more cups in a carrier beside her. Alex gasped when she saw them.  
“Tell me one of those is mine.”  
Kara smiled and plucked a cup from the carrier, holding it out.  
“Double-shot mocha.” She replied.  
“Kara Danvers, you are the best sister a girl could ask for.” Alex quickly took the drink.  
The blonde chuckled, holding another cup out. “Hot chocolate, Carter?”  
He took the drink on his way to the examination table. “You are the best. Thanks, Kara.”  
“No problem, buddy.” Kara ruffled his hair as he passed.  
She pulled the last drink from the container and held it up, meeting Cat’s eyes. “Latte?” Kara smiled tentatively.  
There was no mistaking this. It was an apology, a peace-offering. Cat knew if she took it, it would be the start of her facade crumbling. That distance she’d worked so hard to keep would close, and probably far too quickly for Cat’s liking.  
She stepped forward and wrapped her hand around the one Kara held the cup in. This was Kara, after all. Cat didn’t think she was capable of denying the girl anything at this point. Doing her best to not get distracted by the feel of her skin under her palm, Cat nodded. It was just once, and it was barely visible, but she knew it would be enough. Kara beamed, and she met it with a smile.  
Kara released the cup and Cat let go of her hand, trying to be unaffected by the loss. She stepped back and took a sip of her latte.  
“You got it right.” She said, her eyebrows rising in surprise.  
“You don’t forget a coffee order like that.” Kara’s eyes twinkled. Cat rolled her eyes. Of course, the girl was teasing.  
“A coffee order like what?” Alex questioned as she checked Carter’s responses. Carter laughed and glanced at Kara. She nodded, and Cat sighed dramatically. She knew what was coming.  
“Triple-shot, non-fat, skinny latte. Extra hot, extra foam, with three pumps of hazelnut. Extra whip if it’s a bad day, but no whip at all if it’s a good one.” They parroted, perfectly in sync.  
“Alright, you two. You’ve had your fun. Leave me and my coffee alone.”  
“Not a chance, mom.” Carter grinned.  
“But the real question here is,” Alex started as she felt Carter’s head, “is it a whip day?”  
“I hit my head, and Kara broke a non-disclosure. It’s a whip day.” Carter nodded. Kara threw her head back and laughed.  
“Hey, Carter, watch this.” Alex drained her drink and threw it into the trash can across the room with a surprisingly good aim. Cat shook her head.  
“I’m surrounded by children.” She muttered.  
“You enjoy it, though.” Kara quipped. “Don’t worry, Miss Grant, your secret is safe with me - for real this time.” She shot a wink in Cat’s direction. Cat sucked in a breath as her heart stuttered in her chest. Kara was getting brave, apparently. Damn that coffee. Alex chose that moment to speak, and Cat couldn’t decide if she was grateful or disappointed to have a distraction.  
“Alright, young man. You are all good. Try not to have any more accidents though, just because you have a shortcut at the hospital now doesn’t mean you get to abuse it.”  
“Yes, ma’am.” The boy grinned cheekily as Alex moved to stand next to her desk.  
“Kara, get your butt off my desk. You may have paid for it, but that does not mean you get to disrespect it.” She opened the top drawer of the said desk, plucking out a white card and scribbling something on it. “Go, do your job. Drive these two wherever they need to go.”  
“Yes, ma’am.” Kara parroted with equal cheek. She hopped down and winced audibly when her left foot hit the floor. Alex and Cat frowned in unison.  
“Do you need the-“ The brunette started, only to be cut off.  
“Yeah, probably. I might have pushed it a little earlier.”  
Alex dug a little deeper in her desk before tossing an orange bottle of pills at her sister, who swallowed one and threw it back to be stashed in the desk again.  
“I’d tell you not to drive until it starts to work, but I can count on one hand the number of times you’ve actually listened to that.” Alex fixed her with a particularly piercing stare. “Look after it, Kara. Or I will send you back to orthopaedics, and we both know that Torres is dying to kick your ass.”  
Kara grinned. “Thanks, Al.”  
The doctor rolled her eyes. “Anytime, moron.” She turned her attention to Cat, who had been quietly observing their interaction, and held out the white card to her. “My personal number, just in case.”  
“Thank you, Alexandra.”  
Alex glared at her sister. “You couldn’t have just put ‘Alex’ down in your employee file?”


	3. Chapter 3

Cat and Kara headed towards the car as Carter raced ahead. Her limp was getting a little better. Whatever it was, the mystery pill must be working.  
“I’m not going to fall over, you know.” Kara glanced over, sounding vaguely amused. If Cat were a lesser woman, she’d be embarrassed at being caught staring. Thankfully, she wasn’t.  
“Are you sure you’re okay? We can wait a while before we set off. You didn’t hear this from me, but CatCo won’t collapse if we take an extra 20 minutes.”  
“Thank you, Miss Grant. But I’m okay, really.” The girl smiled. “I’ve been dealing with this for a long time.”  
“And what is _this_ , exactly?” Cat inquired as they reached the car.  
Kara grinned at her over the roof of the town car.  
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She winked, ducking into the driver’s seat.  
Cat shook her head. Kara Danvers was going to be the death of her.  
“So,” Kara met her eyes in the rearview mirror once Cat was safely inside the vehicle. “Where am I taking you both?”  
“Carter’s nanny should be at the penthouse, so there first. Then I need to go to the office and finish a few essential things for today, at least.” She was already distracted, firing a series of emails from her phone  
“Of course, Miss Grant.”

25 minutes later, Kara pulled the car to a smooth stop in the parking garage of the apartment building.  
“Alright, Carter, this is you. Looks like Carina is by the elevator.”  
“Awesome, thanks, Kara! Bye, mom!” Carter held still long enough to let his mother press a kiss to the top of his head before he bundled himself out of the car and across the parking lot towards the private elevator.  
Once she was sure he was with the nanny, Kara turned in her seat and looked at her boss.  
“So…”  
Cat barely glanced up from the email she was typing on her phone.  
“Spit it out, Kara.”  
“Back at the hospital, you said you didn’t have to be at CatCo right away. Is that still the case?” Kara fiddled with the gearshift. Cat’s head snapped up fully this time, and her eyes narrowed.  
“Why?”  
“I want to show you something.” She was nervous. Whatever this was, it was important. Cat sighed internally. One day, she really was going to have to learn to say no to Kara. She waited, just long enough to hide the fact she was always going to say yes.  
“Very well. They aren’t expecting me. You have half an hour.”  
“Okay. I can do that.” Kara righted herself and began to drive.  
Cat stashed her phone away and focused on the streets Kara drove her through, hoping for some clue to their destination.  
“I always knew I’d get kidnapped by a driver one day.”  
Kara snorted a laugh. It was rather ungraceful, Cat thought, and rather adorable.  
“It’s not kidnapping if you agree to go, Miss Grant.”  
“Semantics.” Cat waved a hand dismissively but matched Kara’s smile.

A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking garage of another apartment building, one not too dissimilar to the one Cat lived in.  
“Are you… taking me to your apartment?” The older blonde’s brow furrowed.  
“I am,” Kara stated simply as she got out of the car.  
Cat quickly followed suit as Kara headed for a bank of elevators lining the far wall. She made a beeline for the one on the far left, set apart from the others. As they reached it, Cat noticed there was no button on the panel. Instead, there was a card scanner. That meant one thing - a private elevator. She silently raised an eyebrow as Kara flashed a fob card on her keys against the scanner and the doors opened. Kara gestured for her to step in first, following behind her and hitting the button for the only floor available - the penthouse. Cat suddenly found herself unable to stay quiet any longer.  
“I pride myself on the fact that I pay my drivers well, but I know I do not pay you enough to afford a penthouse - with a private elevator, no less - in a building like this, Kara.”  
Kara laughed. It was rich and warm. “Maybe you should pay more then, Miss Grant.”  
Taken by surprise by the sheer cheek of such overt teasing from a girl who was usually extremely mild-mannered, Cat laughed in reply.  
“Brazen is a good colour on you.”  
Kara smiled at her as the elevator drew to stop, and the doors opened.  
They stepped out into a bright and airy open-plan living space, one Kara had clearly put a lot of work into. It was light and stylish and modern but complemented with solid wood and homey touches that made it feel exactly that - a home. Now that she was here, she couldn’t imagine Kara being anywhere else. It suited her perfectly.  
Cat heard footsteps from somewhere in the apartment, and moments later, a portly woman appeared at the far side of the sleek kitchen.  
She looked to be in her late 50s, with slivering hair and joyful eyes. She smiled when she saw Kara, warm and genuine.  
“Ms Danvers! I wasn’t expecting you until later.”  
Kara rolled her eyes and groaned dramatically. “Moira, it has been seven years. Call me Kara already.”  
“Not a chance, Ms Danvers.” The woman chuckled.  
“Fine,” Kara sighed. “You win, for now. Moira, this is Cat Grant. She’s who I work for now. Miss Grant, this is Moira - my incredibly stubborn housekeeper.”  
The older woman turned her smile to Cat.  
“So this is the lucky lady? I hope she tells your old bosses what they’re missing.”  
“There’s not much to miss anymore.” Kara smiled, but there was no mistaking the sadness behind it.  
“Nonsense. That clever sister of yours will figure it out. Are you two staying long? “  
“No, I’m just showing Miss Grant my…” Kara searched for a word. “Memorabilia. Do you have your key? Mine is in the safe.”  
The housekeeper did a horrible job of hiding her surprise, Cat noticed. Something about whatever it was that this girl was hiding had everyone around her on edge. It made the journalist in Cat itch to ask questions.  
She watched as Moira produced a hefty bunch of keys, detaching one and pressing it into Kara’s palm before she spoke again, concern evident in her eyes.  
“Very well. You know where I am if you need anything, Ms Danvers.”  
“I do. Thanks, Moira.”  
They watched the woman walk away for a moment, and then Kara gestured to a hallway with a nod of her head. The two of them started down it as Cat asked the first thing that came to mind.  
“So, I’m noticing that people seem to get very jumpy whenever someone talks about what it is you keep in this room. It’s not a body, is it?”  
Kara snorted through her nose again. In unrelated news, Cat still thought it was cute.  
“Sure, Miss Grant. I keep a body in my apartment, and I’m taking my boss to see it.”  
“Well, when you put it like that…” The older blonde grumbled. They reached the door at the far end. “So what is in there?” She asked as Kara unlocked it.  
She took a deep breath and let the door swing open. “My career history.” 


	4. Chapter 4

The door swung open and Cat stepped inside. All the air left her lungs in a rush. The car was immediately in front of her. Her eyes travelled over it, almost as if to make sure it was real. She stepped up to it, running her hand over the deep blue paint of the chassis.  
And then she started to look around the room. A rack of red and blue, logo-emblazoned racing suits stood next to a shelf full of helmets adorned with the same logos. There was a tall glass case lined with trophies on the far wall, and the walls were covered with photos of Kara and Alex in cities all over the world; Melbourne, Valencia, Shanghai, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Budapest - everywhere Cat looked she found another historic landmark from another iconic city. Every one of these cities had something in common though. A Formula 1 Grand Prix track.  
Cat whirled around. Kara was leaning against the doorframe, watching her closely.  
“You’re the Supergirl.” Cat breathed.  
Kara smiled sadly.  
“I was. Not so much anymore. Thanks for the name, by the way,” she added, teasingly. “Hated it.”  
“You wouldn’t reveal your identity. You never took the helmet off, even as you won the championship. Was I supposed to name you something mundane?” Cat shot back.  
“You weren’t supposed to name me at all. My bosses were furious. Apparently, they’d spent months strategising the perfect name and deciding the perfect time to release it. You beat them to it and with something better.”  
“I thought you hated it.”  
“It grew on me,” Kara shrugged.  
Cat shook her head and laughed. “I can’t believe you used to do this. I knew you were a first-rate driver, but this is... this is incredible - _you_ were incredible, Kara. I didn’t give that name as a gimmick, you earned it.”  
“Thanks.” The younger blonde crossed over to the car and perched, leaning on the edge of the chassis. “You can ask, by the way, whatever questions you have. I know you’ve been dying to ask a million questions since this morning. Your journalist thing never wore off, huh?”  
“I don’t think it ever will,” Cat smiled at her briefly before her expression became serious. ”I don’t think I have to say this, but I will anyway. Anything you tell me is off the record, Kara.”  
“I know. I wouldn’t have shown you any of this if I didn’t trust you, Miss Grant. Now, please, ask me something before you explode.”  
“Why didn’t you ever take your helmet off?” She levelled her gaze at the other woman.  
Kara sighed.  
“Did you know I was the first American to win a race in 30 years, and the first woman to compete in the history of Formula 1? That was enough fame and pressure for anyone, can you imagine if everyone knew my name and face and who I was when I wasn’t on the track? They’d never leave me alone again.” She took a deep breath. “But, more than that, I wanted my driving to speak for itself. You know how the media treats women, Miss Grant. No matter how successful I was, I’d have been reduced to ‘the pretty one’. It didn’t matter what I looked like, it mattered that I was the best driver there.”  
“Confident.” Cat arched an eyebrow.  
“I know it sounds boastful, but the proof is there; look at my records. I worked incredibly hard to get where I did and even harder to stay there. I’m allowed to be proud of that, Miss Grant.”  
The CEO took a deep breath of her own, “I think it’s time you called me Cat, Supergirl.”  
This version of Kara never seemed to stop surprising her. The girl was strong, confident... she was _powerful_. Cat found herself even more drawn to her.  
“If you’re going to call me Supergirl from now on, I’ll stick to Miss Grant and you can stick to Kara.” The girl’s eyes sparkled with mischief.  
“Alright, _Kara_. Why did you hate the name?”  
“When I first decided to keep who I was a secret, part of that decision was that I was a woman - or a girl, I guess. I didn’t want to be seen as less than the 19 other drivers on the track with me. In the beginning, I didn’t want to be judged as a woman, I just wanted to be another driver.” Kara ran her hand through her hair, disrupting her ponytail. “Then you came along and named me something so feminine. You didn’t even go for Superwoman either, you went for Supergirl. At the time, it just seemed like it was this neon arrow pointing out all the ways I was less than all those men I was surrounded by.”  
“Girl doesn’t mean weak, Kara,” Cat spoke softly, and Kara smiled.  
“I know that now.”  
“What changed?”  
“I met Sophie.”  
“Sophie?” Cat questioned.  
“I used to do visits to the hospital on Alex’s request, full suit and helmet. Just after the end of my first season, she asked me to come meet an 8-year-old girl with a particularly aggressive cancer.  
Sophie had been under Alex’s care for about 6 months, and she wasn’t in a good way. Turns out she _loved_ formula racing. Sometimes even kids need a reason to fight, and Alex thought I could be that for her. I went and talked to her for hours, told her everything I could think of. She was so excited, so... vibrant. She swore that she was going to get better so she could learn to race and be just like me. I realised Supergirl might not be the most empowering thing in the world to me, but it was to Sophie - and probably thousands of other girls like her.  
Her mom told me afterwards that they hadn’t seen her that happy in months. I took my helmet off, gave her parents my phone number, and I visited her twice a week from then on. Aside from Moira, my team and my family, Sophie and her family were the only people who saw who I was while I was still racing.”  
“What happened to her?”  
Kara beamed. “She won her first Formula 3 race last week.”  
“Christ, Kara. You talked about her like she was dead!” The older woman exclaimed.  
“Sorry. It was a long time ago, I guess.”  
“You never did tell anyone how old you were.”  
“My age was something else they could use against me.”  
“Or it was something that would make it even more apparent how amazing you are at what you do. I know how old you are, it’s in your file. You’re 26, which means you were 19 when you raced your first F1 season, and you were 20 when you won the World Championship. Do you not get how _astounding_ that is?”  
“When you put it like that...” Kara trailed off as Cat’s phone chirped, taking in the frown that appeared on the other woman’s face. “Need to get going?”  
“Unfortunately.”  
They exited the room, pausing as Kara locked the door behind them. They moved back through the apartment and stepped into the elevator. Hitting the button for the parking garage, Kara turned to face the older blonde.  
“Can I ask you something, Cat?”  
Cat felt her heart pick up speed at the sound of her name from Kara’s mouth and tried not to let on how affected she was by it.  
“I reserve the right to not answer,” The CEO smiled wryly.  
“You never asked about the accident. Why?”  
“I saw it,” Cat spoke softly again, her voice tender. ”And it was awful. I remember the team reporting on it - how... horrified they were.  
I also think it hurt you enough the first time around; you shouldn’t have to relive that every time you tell someone who you are. That said, if you do ever want to talk about it, I will always listen.”  
Kara’s throat constricted as tears rushed to her eyes. She didn’t trust herself to speak without her emotion overwhelming her, so she simply nodded instead. And then Cat’s hand was in hers, squeezing it tightly and Kara had to stifle a gasp at the contact. Cat was looking at her with such understanding and concern, it made Kara’s heart ache and the tears threatened to fall. But there was something else in her eyes too, and Kara struggled to name it - if she didn’t know any better, she’d say Cat cared about her.  
The elevator doors opened and Cat’s hand was gone from hers as quickly as it appeared. Kara watched her step out and head for the town car before she followed, her mind reeling.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a filler chapter while I get back into the swing of things, but I hope you guys enjoy!

“You told her who you are?!”  
The pillow came flying at Kara from her left, hitting her face with a surprising amount of force and a dull thud.  
“Ow! Yes, Alex. Relax.”  
“ _Relax_?!” Alex fumed, ”Are you insane? You told the Queen of all Media that you’re secretly one of the most well-known Formula racing drivers in the world and you want me to relax?”  
“She’s not going to print anything,” Kara stated calmly.  
“You don’t know that.”  
“I trust her, Alex. Now, please, stop pacing before you wear a hole in my rug. It was expensive.”   
Alex rolled her eyes but threw herself down on the couch anyway.   
“Everything in this apartment is expensive, Kara. And we both know you can afford to replace the rug.”  
“Stop griping and eat, or I will eat all the potstickers.” Kara gestured at the containers on the coffee table. There was an audible huff from Alex’s end of the sofa and Kara had to suppress a giggle at the sight of her sister angrily loading a plate with food. Silence fell over them as they ate.   
Kara began to count in her head. She knew her sister wouldn’t be able to stay quiet - in fact, she’d be impressed if Alex made it thirty seconds.   
“How do you know she won’t print anything?” Twenty-seven seconds. Kara grinned inwardly.   
“Because she won’t, I promise. You weren’t there, Alex. She gets it. She even made sure to tell me as much, completely unprompted. I know you think she’s this ice queen, but she respects me - and my privacy. You know she didn’t even ask about the crash?”  
“Yeah, right,” Alex drawled.   
“No, really. Not a word about it. It confused me too, so I asked her why she hadn’t.”  
“What did she say?”   
“That it hurt me enough the first time and I shouldn’t have to relive it every time I show someone who I am.”  
“That’s... really thoughtful, actually.” The brunette’s brow furrowed.   
“I know.”  
“You’re absolutely sure she isn’t going to print any of this?”   
“Positive,” Kara stated solemnly.  
“Okay,” Alex relented. Suddenly, she laughed and shook her head. “Who’d have thought that Cat Grant would sit on a story like this for one of her drivers? Anyone would think she actually liked you.’  
Kara hesitated briefly, and Alex jumped on it.  
“What? Do you think she likes you? Like, she _likes_ you, likes you?”  
“No!’ Kara exclaimed. “No, I don’t think so.”  
“You don’t think so? Kara, tell me you don’t have feelings for her...” The brunette trailed off warily.   
“There was this moment after we talked about the accident; I got upset. I know it sounds stupid, but it was like... I think she cared, Alex.”  
“Kara, you can’t be serious. She’s your boss.”  
“I know. I know. She’s just... Cat.”  
“Cat? You’re on a first name basis now?”   
Kara hummed evasively. Alex sighed for what could be the fiftieth time that evening.   
“Look, I just don’t want you to get hurt. Please be careful.” She met her sister’s eyes.   
“I will,” Kara smiled tentatively.   
Alex turned her attention back to her food and decided it was time to change the subject.  
“So, how was physiotherapy yesterday?”  
Now it was Kara’s turn to sigh. “Physio was the same as always. It hurt, and nothing got any better. I don’t know, Alex. What if this is it for me now? You said it yourself, not everyone recovers completely.”  
“I also said I wasn’t gay, Kara. It’s about what you believe. If you want to race - if you _believe_ that is what you’re meant to do - then we don’t stop until we find a way to get you there. Physio is part of that.”  
“What if I gave up on racing? It’s been over 5 years, Alex. I’m never going to be as good as I was.” The blonde fidgeted with her hands.  
“And do what? Drive Cat Grant around for the rest of her life?” Alex arched an eyebrow.  
“Maybe!” Kara snapped defensively. She sighed again. “Sorry. I mean, it’s not like I don’t enjoy it. Would it be the worst thing if that’s who I am now - Cat Grant’s driver?”  
“Could you be happy - really, _truly_ happy - if you never got into the cockpit of a car again? Or are you always going to feel like something is missing? Don’t deny who you are just because it’s hard, Kara. You’re tougher than that.”  
“I know. It’s just starting to feel impossible.”  
“It’s not. To finish first...” Alex trailed off.   
“Oh god, I hate it when you use that.” Kara groaned.   
Alex grinned. “Did it work?”  
“Yeah,” Kara smiled at her sister, a fresh determination in her eyes. “It did.”

* * *

The next morning when Cat Grant stepped into the parking garage below her apartment building, she found Kara leaning against the passenger door of the town car. The girl was tapping furiously on her phone, frowning in concentration.  
“I wasn’t aware I paid you to play games, Kara.”  
Kara jumped slightly and looked up, smiling sheepishly at being caught.  
“Good morning, Cat.”  
“Supergirl.”  
“You know, I‘m going to take back the coffee I left for you in the back seat if you don’t stop that.” Kara threatened good-naturedly as she opened the rear passenger door.   
Cat paused and met the younger woman’s eyes. “You don’t have to get me coffee, Kara. You’re not my assistant.”  
“I know,” she smiled, and Cat’s heart stuttered in her chest, “I wanted to.”  
“Thank you, darling.” The word was out of her mouth before her brain registered it. Cat’s eyes widened minutely, and she cursed internally. All she could do now was hope that Kara wasn’t bothered by it. And then a slight blush spread on Kara’s cheeks and her smile widened.   
“Anytime,” she murmured distractedly, ducking her head.   
Cat climbed into the backseat before her mouth could betray her any further. The door clicked shut behind her as she reached for the coffee that Kara had left for her, absent-mindedly tracing the rim. A soft smile passed over her face momentarily as she considered the girl’s reaction to that one simple word. She might just have to say it more often.

* * *

Weeks passed, and they had settled back into their working relationship with ease. Kara knew that things about that relationship had changed, however slight that change was. There was a kindness now, one Kara was sure Cat would never admit to, and a sudden familiarity - an openness that grew every day that Kara worked the car for Cat.  
They had shown each other their true faces, and they both knew there was no going back. Cat knew Kara was brave and bold and fearless under the meek attitude and ponytails, just as Kara knew under that sharp tongue and withering stare, there was a version of Cat that was soft and kind and honourable. That was a secret that was theirs alone, though. It lived alongside the sweet smiles Kara offered Cat freely, the pet names Cat was slowly developing for Kara, and the lingering touches that passed between them beside open car doors.   
Cat, for her part, was still doing her best not to be desperately smitten with her driver. If she were honest, she was having very little success - and yet, no matter how hard Cat tried, she couldn’t seem to bring herself to care. Apparently, this wasn’t the only way the changes in their relationships was affecting Cat. She was recently finding herself spending more and more time in the car on the days she knew Kara was working. More than once, Cat found herself asking Kara to take the _scenic route_. Had another of her drivers heard that request, they’d have had her sectioned.  
Today, however, presented Cat with the strangest anomaly in her behaviour since she took that coffee from Kara in her sister’s office. The board member Cat was supposed to be meeting had cancelled on her, minutes after she had gotten into the car. This alone was not strange, the board member in question had always been a self-important idiot. No, the strange thing was Cat’s reaction to the news that she now had a free hour - she didn’t want to go to immediately back to the office. Typically, Cat would instruct the driver for the day to turn the car around and make the most of that hour by terrorising some poor, unsuspecting intern, but today she found she’d much rather spend the next hour in the car making idle chit-chat with her charming driver. She sighed quietly and rolled her eyes at herself.  
“Kara, it seems my most favourite board member has deigned not to join me this afternoon.”  
“Now, what a shame that is.” Kara met her eyes in the mirror, a dry tone and a smirk to match Cat’s own. “Back to the office?”  
“Actually, I had another idea,” Cat smiled, something mischievous sparkling in her eyes. “But first, coffee.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back! I know it’s been forever since I updated this, so apologies. I’ve been going through some stuff, but I’m working through it and trying to make time for the things that I enjoy, so hopefully there’ll be some more to this soon.  
> To those of you who continued to read my fics while I was away, and especially those of you who commented, thank you so much. It reminded me why I love to do this and the joy I get out of it. You guys were the reason I was able to come back and write, despite the fact I’ve been struggling. I love you all for that.


	6. Chapter 6

Kara twisted in her seat to pass what could be the largest latte known to man to her boss.

“So, what was this idea of yours?” She arched an eyebrow, unable to contain her curiosity any longer.

“Actually, darling, that depends on you.” Cat leant forward to take her latte from Kara, and if their fingers interlocked for a few seconds past what would be considered acceptable, Cat knew nothing about it.

“On me?” Kara’s brow furrowed into that now-familiar crease, and Cat had to bite back a smile.

She hummed from behind her coffee, “Yes dear, Carter has a half-day at school and, well, I was wondering if you’d consider spending the afternoon with us?”

The younger blonde blinked, her mind stalling in its tracks. Cat Grant just had asked her to spend the day with her and her son, and - if Kara wasn’t mistaken - she was nervous about it. It was almost too much to process.

“Of course, if you don’t want to, there’s no repercussions here, Kara. Carter really enjoys your company, that’s-”

“Cat.” Kara interrupted bluntly, a grin growing across her face, “I’d love to.”

The CEO cleared her throat and shook her head slightly as if to rid herself of an unwelcome thought. She smiled at Kara as she spoke. “Good. I’m glad.”

Kara mirrored the smile and decided it was time to change the subject.

“So, what time do we go get him?”

“They finish in about 45 minutes. I figured we’d just wait there, enjoy the coffee.”

“Sounds good.” Kara gave Cat one last smile, righted herself in her seat and put the car into gear.

Cat busied herself with emails and phone calls, rearranging and rescheduling to free her afternoon. She rolled her eyes at herself, suppressing a smile. The things she was willing to do to spend time with this girl never ceased to be a surprise.

Finishing her last call, the CEO glanced out of the window. They weren’t far from the school. Cat tucked her phone away and studied her driver in the rear-view mirror. Kara met her eyes as she parked the car in one fluid, smooth motion.

“Do I have something on my face?” The girl grinned. Cat shook her head slightly, and Kara twisted in her seat again, facing the other woman as fully as she could. “What is it, Cat?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

The older blonde hesitated before asking, “What was it like?”

“What was what like?” Kara frowned, confusion clouding her face.

“Driving the cars.”

“Oh,” she smiled, something lighting behind her eyes with such intensity that it nearly stole Cat’s breath. “That’s easy. It’s like flying.”

Cat chuckled, ”I should have known you’d say something so cliched.”

“It is, but it’s also true.” Kara paused, considering something. “It’s actually painful - like really, truly painful. The forces that act on you on corners at that speed? They’d damn near break your neck if you got in that car unprepared. It’s unbelievably hot, faster than you can imagine - or even process - and its the most intense thing I’ve ever done.”

“None of that even remotely sounds like flying, Kara.”

“No, but the rest of it does.” That thing behind Kara’s eyes sparked and grew, but this time Cat recognised it. Passion. This was the thing that made Kara Danvers tick, her eyes bright and joyous, and Cat revelled in it. Somewhere in the back of her brain, Cat found herself wondering if she looked that beautiful when she was talking about journalism. “It’s power and speed - not defying gravity, but using it to make you better, make you faster. To be able to control that is... it’s incredible, Cat. It really is like flying - just at 200 miles an hour and four inches above the ground.”

“It sounds terrifying.”

“It probably would be for anyone else.”

“But not you?” Cat quirked her brow in questioning.

“You can’t be.” Kara’s voice was soft now. “The day you feel fear is the day you get out of the car, and you never drive again. You cannot drive scared, because the day you do is the day you die.”

The older blonde hesitated over her next question, and the driver rolled her eyes.

“You can ask, Cat.”

“Are you scared now?”

“After the crash, you mean?” Kara smiled wryly and shook her head. “No. It wasn’t my first, and if my leg is ever good enough to get back in the car, it probably won’t be my last.”

Cat frowned, “I don’t like that thought.”

“No one ever does.” Kara smiled softly at her, a sadness creeping in at the corners of it. “Do you remember when you said your journalist thing would never wear off? It’s like that. It’s in my soul, Cat. I have to believe that I’ll race again someday because I won’t be me if I don’t. Accidents are just that - accidents. If I were a bad driver, that’d be one thing. I probably would have fear then, but I won’t fear what I can’t control.”

“That’s... surprisingly rational for someone who goes hurtling around 90-degree corners at Mach 1.”

Kara threw her head back and laughed. “Mach 1 is over three times faster than the top speed of the best car on the track last year.”

“And I’m supposed to know that?”

“Here, I thought that Cat Grant knew everything.” If Cat wasn’t mistaken, the girl was taunting her. Never one to be beaten, Cat teased right back.

“Darling, I know everything that matters.”

The driver gasped, clutching her hand to her chest and feigning shock before dissolving into giggles.

“I know at least a hundred people, just on my old team, that would tell you that last year’s top car is the most important thing in the world right now.”

“And I’m sure they’re all fascinating individuals.” Cat drawled, getting another laugh from the pretty blonde. It made Cat far too pleased with herself, and she vowed to do it as often as possible.

“Well, they are all engineers so you might be right.”

“A hundred engineers seems insane for one car.”

“Two cars.” Kara corrected, “I had a teammate, remember?”

“Ah. Max Lord, of course.” Cat rolled her eyes.

“Not a fan?” Kara asked knowingly.

“He made my favourite reporter cry. How did you put up with him?”

“I didn’t have to. Well, on the track, at least. The team principle and the race engineers were pretty good at keeping him off my ass. They all knew I was the better driver, Max included, so they made sure he didn’t get in my way or ruin a race for me.”

Cat laughed, “I bet he _loved_ that.”

“He most definitely did not.” Kara paused as something caught her eye. “Carter’s over there. Does he know you’re here?”

“No.”

“Oh, man,” She grinned, impish and mischievous. “Wait there then.”

Kara was out of the car before Cat could formulate a response. Pursing her lips, Cat did her best to be annoyed. It didn’t work. Instead, she decided to watch the interaction between her son and driver from behind the tinted glass of the town car.

Kara crossed the road and waited for Carter on the sidewalk at the other side. He saw her almost immediately, and his face lit up, bringing a soft smile to Cat’s face. It was quickly replaced by one of wonder as the boy reached Kara and immediately tucked himself into her side; wrapping her in a hug. Kara responded in kind - as if this was something they did every day and was entirely natural for them. The driver ruffled his hair as they parted, the two of them already chattering animatedly.

Inside the car, Cat Grant was trying desperately not to look utterly floored by the time they reached her. The driver door opened, and Cat caught her first snippet of their conversation.

“So we thought that, if it’s cool with you, I’ll hang out this afternoon.”

“We?” The passenger door opened and Carter dropped his bag into the footwell as he slid into the seat next to Kara, who grinned and nodded towards the backseat. The question furrowed between his eyebrows disappeared as he took in his mother.

“Mom!”

“Carter.” Cat smiled at her son and Kara watched as her whole demeanour shifted. Catherine Grant, CEO and journalist, was suddenly nothing more than Cat, mother to the charming, sensitive boy in Kara’s passenger seat. She radiated warmth and affection, and not for the first time, Kara wished that Cat would turn that affection on her.

“Is Kara really going to hang out with us today? I thought you had to work.”

“I moved my afternoon. And she is, but only if you’re okay with it. You always tell me how much fun you two have when I’m meetings, I thought you might enjoy having the whole afternoon.”

“Awesome! Thanks, mom.” Carter turned back in his seat and opened the glove compartment, handing Kara a candy bar and snagging one for himself. He switched his attention back to Kara after that, bombarding her with a multitude of plans for the afternoon between bites of something with far too much sugar that Cat would usually never allow. Kara manoeuvred the car away from the curb, and for the first time since she suggested this, Cat wondered what she had gotten herself into.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back again! I know I’m taking forever with these updates and I’m really sorry. I’ve been having a major creative block for the past few months, so I’m struggling to do anything I’d usually do, write, paint or draw. Please know I haven’t abandoned this story, I’m still working on it - just slowly. The next update is coming as soon as I am able, but please enjoy this one 💛

Carter barely waited for the engine to shut off before bundling himself out of the car, grabbing Kara by the hand and tugging her towards what Kara assumed was Cat’s private elevator. Cat took a moment to watch her son initiate the contact with the other woman and smiled to herself. It looked so natural to him, and she was finding it nothing short of amazing. Kara Danvers was definitely one to keep around.

Carter dragged the girl at speed through the penthouse, stopping only to deposit her on an overly plush sofa that Kara would have not expected to find in Cat Grant’s home.

“Hey, do you like video games?” The boy was practically vibrating with excitement, and it made Kara’s heart swell a little.

“Sure do, buddy. What are our options?” She smiled at Cat as the older woman caught up to them and sat next to her, leaving space for Carter between them.

“Well, mom just got me a new racing game because I already mastered Mario Kart. This one is, like, real Formula racing cars though.”

“Sounds great, Carter.” Kara turned to Cat as Carter set up the game, silently raising an eyebrow at her as her lips pursed in amusement.

“A brand new F1 racing game, huh?”

Cat did her best to feign innocence. “I have no idea what you could possibly mean, darling.”

“Sure, you don’t.” Kara laughed under her breath as she accepted a controller from Carter, turning her attention squarely on the game. “You’re so going down, buddy.”

Two hours later, Kara was yet to win a single race. Cat had noticed that Kara was a... less than gracious loser.

“I swear this game is rigged.” The younger blonde pouted as she lost another place.

Carter laughed gleefully. “Admit it, Kara, you’re just bad at this!”

Kara exclaimed in frustration as she spun into the barriers again and took herself out of yet another race. “Okay, this is absolutely nothing like the real thing!”

“Would it help if you went home and got a helmet from your shrine, Supergirl?” Cat teased. Kara shot her a glare.

“Wait, what?” Carter’s voice pulled them both into the reality of what they had just done. Guilt flashed across Cat’s face as she tried to gauge Kara’s reaction. To her surprise, Kara smiled and paused the game before turning to her.

“Do you want to tell him, or shall I?

“It’s your story, dear.”

Kara’s smile widened briefly, and she focused her attention on Carter.

“I already know you like the games, but have you ever watched a Formula One race?”

“I’ve seen bits of them. My dad really likes it. Why?” His brow furrowed in confusion.

“Well, I wanted to know what you thought of my driving, but you were probably too young to remember when I was racing.” Kara teased gently, watching the gears in his head turn at warp speed.

“You used to do that? This?” He gestured wildly at the pause menu on the TV.

“Sure did.”

“That’s awesome! I didn’t think you could get any cooler!” Carter exclaimed, pulling easy laughs from the two women. “Wait, you drive mom all the time now, right? So you don’t race anymore? Why not?”

Kara closed her eyes briefly, her smile suddenly saddened and smaller.

“I had an accident buddy. Remember when we were at the hospital, and I was limping a bit? I hurt my leg in the accident, and it’s never been good enough to race since. I love driving you and your mom though, please don’t doubt that.”

Carter watched her closely for a minute and then nodded as if he had decided something fundamental before he spoke.

“I know. But Kara? Legs get better all the time. I broke mine once, jumping off the swing, and it’s just like before now. You’ll race again, I know it.”

Kara pulled him into a hug, resting her chin on his head as she tried to blink away the unshed tears. Cat’s eyes met hers, and Kara swore they shone slightly too. 

“I really hope so, buddy.”

* * *

Carter and Kara decided that pizza was the best option for dinner; Cat rolled her eyes and placed the order anyway. She watched in something approaching awestruck horror as Kara sat at her kitchen table and demolished a pizza and a half.

Kara grinned up at her. “Food is one of the perks of not racing. No more nutritionists and bun tarts ruining all my fun.”

“What on earth is a bun tart?”

“It’s the nickname for the catering and hospitality girls that travel with the team and look after us. Hey, I didn’t invent it before you get all righteous.”

Cat pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes at Kara briefly. “Fine. But for the record, I think it’s an incredibly sexist nickname.”

“You realise you’re talking to the only female driver ever, right?” Kara laughed.

“Oh, be quiet.” Cat stood and began clearing away their mess before fixing a pointed look at her son. “Carter, honey, you have homework to be doing.”

“But, mom, you said I could hang out with Kara!” He protested.

“And you have. For the last 4 hours, no less. Kara is more than welcome to come back another time, and she’s certainly under no obligation to leave right now.”

He turned to Kara and fixed her with his best puppy dog eyes. “Promise you’ll come back?”

“Promise. I’ll come say goodbye if I do leave before you’re done. And maybe next time, you could come see my racing stuff - if that’s alright with your mom.” Kara glanced at Cat.

“Could we, mom?”

“I don’t see why not. If you do your homework.”

“Okay, fine,” Carter said as he retreated to his room. 

Cat turned her attention to Kara, “Wine?”

Kara laughed. “Cat, I literally drive for a living. In fact, I drove here. Do you remember that? How am I supposed to get home?”

“I have other drivers.”

“Because them picking me up, wine-drunk, from your apartment is definitely a rumour you want.”

Cat swallowed a pointed comment about other drivers and non-disclosure agreements. “So I’ll get you a cab. You live four minutes away, it’s hardly a big deal. Come on, Kara, have a drink with me. I won’t bite.”

* * *

They settled back into Cat’s plush sofa, glasses clutched in hand as Cat deposited the bottle onto the coffee table. Kara smiled tentatively at her.

“How was the office today?”

“You ask me that every day, Supergirl. You know how the office was. I think it’s about time I got to know you. Off the record, of course.”

“I know. I trust you, Cat. Ask.”

“You said earlier you didn’t have to deal with Max on the track, why do I get the feeling that off the track was very different?”

Kara snorted through her nose, rather indelicately. Cat still hadn’t stopped finding it cute. “Because he’s Max Lord, Cat.”

“What did he do?”

“Wouldn’t take no for an answer. Thought if he wined and dined me, I’d somehow fall so madly in love with him that I’d want him to get ahead and let him win.” Kara grinned impishly, pulling a laugh from Cat.

“How did that work out for him?”

“Badly. Max got handsy exactly once and got three broken fingers for it. Couldn’t race for two weeks.”

“You broke his fingers?”

“And risk taking myself out of the race because I couldn’t hold the steering wheel? Oh, no. My ex did it, turns out she wasn’t really a fan of seeing me groped.”

Cat’s brain stalled in her skull. “Wait, _she?_ Kara, are you gay?”

“Never really put a label on it. I like women if that’s what you’re asking.” There was a weighted pause. “It’s not an issue, is it?” She was tentative suddenly; Cat had to put a stop to that.

“God, no. I didn’t mean to make you think it was, it was just... unexpected.”

Kara nodded, some uneasiness lingering and Cat decided it was time to change the subject.

“Do you miss it?” She asked gently.

“Every day. Not that I don’t enjoy working for you, Cat, I really do. But...”

“Nothing quite compares to flying?”

“Yeah, that. What about you? Do you miss the writing?”

“Sometimes. I love the magazine, but editor-in-chief is very different from investigative journalism.”

“I bet.”

Cat turned to face Kara fully, her tone becoming serious. “I’m sorry, by the way, about earlier - that comment about the helmet, and with Carter there. I wasn’t thinking. I should have been more careful.”

“It’s okay, really. I said something first. And he’s a good kid, he won’t say anything. Besides, who’d seriously believe ‘My mom’s driver used to be Supergirl’?”

“You may be on to something there.” Cat grinned, pausing to pour more wine in their emptying glasses before she levelled her gaze on Kara. “So, you let him sit in the front?”

The girl swallowed guiltily as she set her glass down on the coffee table. “Oh god, yeah. I’m sorry, I should have asked.”

“No. It’s good. Carter trusts you, I don’t want to undermine that for him. There aren’t many people he’s even half as comfortable with as he is with you, and I trust your judgement. Maybe less chocolate, though.”

“No promises.” Kara reached for her wine, pausing with the glass halfway to her mouth as she realised Cat was watching her. “What?”

“I still can’t believe you used to do that.”

Kara shook her head as she finished her drink, setting the glass back on the coffee table. “It’s just driving.”

“It’s amazing, Kara. You’re astounding, darling.”

The younger blonde blushed and ducked her head at the compliment. When she looked back up a moment later, Cat found herself surprised at their proximity. She didn’t remember being this close to the girl a few seconds ago. Cat took a minute to drink her in; her eyes were bright, and her cheeks were flushed, and she was lovely. 

Without thinking, the CEO reached up and traced the outline of her face; she met Kara’s eyes, the girl searching for something in Cat’s expression. Whatever she was looking for, she must have found it because suddenly her mouth was on Cat’s. Cat threaded her hands into long hair, tugging the ponytail loose, and kissed her back. There was a groan somewhere in Kara’s throat when Cat’s nails scraped her scalp, her own hands gripping the smaller woman’s hips. The noise broke something inside Cat, and she was straddling Kara’s lap a second later, the resulting gasp was precisely the opportunity Cat needed to deepen the kiss. She felt Kara smirk against her mouth, and then her hands were under Cat’s tunic, stroking the skin of her stomach. The older woman pulled away, her breath shuddering as Kara affixed her mouth to the side of Cat’s neck.

“Kara,” she breathed. The girl hummed against the corner of Cat’s jaw and earned herself a low moan. “Kara, darling, I need you to stop.”

Kara froze instantly, slowly removing her hands from Cat’s waist as she leant back against the couch, worry creased between her eyebrows.

“I’m so sorry, Cat. I thought- it doesn’t matter. I’m really-“

“Kara. Shut up.” Cat pressed a finger to her lips, cutting the rambling short. “I need this to stop right now because if you don’t go home, I’m going to take you to bed and that is not how I want to start this.”

The worry lifted from the girl’s brow, and a tentative smile graced her mouth. “There’s a ‘this’?”

“I’m in your lap on my living room sofa, Kara. Your hands were just up my shirt, and I’ve ruined your hair, and that’s without mentioning the fact that was the best kiss I’ve had in years. I’d say there’s a ‘this’, darling.”

“You make a fair point,” Kara’s smile grew into something almost smug as her hands slid around Cat’s waist, her fingers tracing patterns against the fabric at the small of her back. She leaned up and pressed a kiss at the corner of Cat’s jaw, the same spot that had made the older woman moan just minutes earlier, and received a low groan for her efforts. Kara grinned to herself and stored the information away like the precious thing it was. 

“My God, Kara. Go home.”

“Okay, okay.” She conceded, “I promised Carter I’d say goodbye first, though.”

Cat laughed, and it was something vibrant and joyful. “Please fix your hair first.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writer’s block appears to have lifted a little, so you get an update much much sooner than I think anyone expected. It’s date time, people! This is a slightly shorter chapter than usual, I’ve decided to split it into two smaller chapters so that I don’t have to skimp on the details to make it all fit into one. Enjoy, part two will be coming soon hopefully 💛

Cat Grant had many secrets that would never see the light of day. Her real age, her hair colourist’s phone number, the time she’d drunkenly asked Brad Pitt to marry her - and exactly how much coffee she needed in the morning. 

She was sat nursing the dregs of her second cup when her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and answered the phone with a smile.

“Supergirl.” 

Kara huffed a short laugh into the phone. “You know, one of these days I’ll find something that annoys you as much as that annoys me.” 

“Good luck.”

“Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you for yesterday. I had a really great time with you and Carter.” 

“So did we. Carter will not stop talking about you, or your racing. I think you might be his new hero.” 

“Now that is quite the compliment.” The young woman chuckled.

Cat hummed her agreement, “I thought so.”

“Listen, I know you don’t finish too late today, and Carter’s with his father, and...” Kara trailed off, and Cat’s chest warmed at the idea of what the girl wanted to ask. 

“You’re allowed to ask, darling.” Cat prompted gently.

“Could I take you out?” The words left her mouth in a tumbling rush, and the warmth in Cat’s chest grew.

“I’d like that, Kara.”

Kara sighed in relief, and Cat could hear her smile. “Have Paul drop you at my building when you’re done, okay? Around the front, I’ll meet you in the lobby. And wear pants.”

* * *

Kara fussed with her outfit as she sat in the lobby of her apartment building, picking imaginary bits of lint off the dusty pink suede of her jacket. 

“The jacket is fine, Kara.” The voice rang out from above her, amusement lacing its edges. Kara cursed under her breath as she jumped slightly. 

“Oh my god, Cat. Stop doing that.”

“For someone who’s career was based on reaction times, you are far too easy to jump scare.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Kara stood, taking a moment to appraise Cat’s outfit. Black skinny jeans, an ivory blouse and ankle boots with heels that scared Kara a little. “You wore the pants.”

“You sound surprised.”

“You don’t exactly strike me as the person who does what she’s told, Cat.”

The older woman laughed openly, “Well, you wouldn’t tell me where we’re going. I figured I should play it safe.”

“Those Louboutins are safe?” Kara pointed down at Cat’s heels. 

“Says the woman in Jimmy Choo sneakers.”

“Sneakers, Cat. Not death traps.” Kara grinned. “Ready to go?”

“Go where?”

“To the garage, unless you want to walk to our date in those.”

Cat rolled her eyes and walked alongside the younger woman. Kara led her to a door Cat hadn’t noticed before, set apart from the elevator bank. It opened with Kara’s key fob, and she gestures the other woman inside. 

“Pick a car.” Kara smiled warmly. 

There were about 15 cars inside what Cat could only assume was Kara’s private garage. Everything from vintage muscle cars to top of the line supercars, and they were all immaculate, gleaming under the fluorescent lighting. 

“Kara,” Cat spoke slowly, eyes wide. “How many cars do you own?” 

“Eighteen. Nineteen, if you count the one inside my apartment.”

“That’s insane.” 

Kara snorted a laugh. It was becoming Cat’s favourite sound. 

“How big is your closet, Cat? 

“Besides the point,” The CEO waved her off. “What’s that one?”

Cat was pointing to a sleek, wine-red muscle car with two white stripes running up the hood. 

“1970 Chevelle Super Sport. Good choice.” Kara moved to the passenger side and opened the door. 

“You don’t have to do that, you know? I _can_ get in by myself. You’re not my driver right now.”

“Cat. Get in.” Kara fixed her with a pointed look. “I might not be your driver right now, but I am your date. It’s called chivalry.”

Cat paused as she got in the car, pressing a kiss to Kara’s cheek and savouring the blush that spread there.

“Thank you, darling.”

The older blonde settled into the soft leather of the bench seat as Kara slipped in beside her, turning the key already in the ignition and the car rumbled to life. 

“So, do I get to know where we’re going now?”

Kara turned to her, smile wide and eyes bright. 

“Flying.”

* * *

Kara pulled the car into the parking lot of a race track outside of the city and got out.

“Come on.” Kara walked through the complex, smile in place as she led Cat to a small brick building opposite the garages in the pit lane. Cat followed, brow drawn. 

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t we need a car for this?”

“We do.” Kara ushered her inside. The two cars waiting for them were almost mirror images of each other - one red with navy accents, the other navy with red accents. Both had the number 19 on the door panels. Cat could make out a few differences between the body shapes; the most obvious being the shape of the rear wing. Cat wasn’t exactly well versed in cars, but it was clear these were not average supercars, they were both sleek and aggressive and low to the ground. They radiated power, and Cat’s heart began to speed up at the idea of being in one. 

“You get to pick again.” Kara gestured to the cars. 

“What are they? And what’s the difference between them?” 

“Ferraris. The red one is an FXX K, the blue is an FXX K Evo. Blue one is basically the fancy version of the red one. It’s meant to be more fun to drive, feel more like a race car and all that fun stuff. They’re exactly the same car underneath, but the outside makes all the difference.”

Cat arched an eyebrow at her date. “The fun one, then.”

“I thought so.” Kara nodded to a sandy-haired man that Cat hadn’t noticed earlier, who quickly disappeared. “They’ll get it out on the track for us, it’ll take a minute.

Cat decided that was plenty of time to ask Kara some questions. 

“Why aren’t these with the rest?”

“They’re not street-legal.” The younger blonde answered as she reached up behind her head and started to braid her hair. “I can only legally drive them on a track, so I’d have to pay someone to ship them here every time I wanted to. It’s easier to keep them here.”

“What were the pants for, anyway?” 

“The harness in the car isn’t exactly compatible with skirts.”

Cat couldn’t help herself, she had to ask; “How’s your leg?” 

Kara laughed as she tied off her braid. 

“This is a lot less stress on it than a formula car, I promise. These are easy drives. You really think I want my identity found out because I killed the Queen of all Media? You’re more than safe, I promise.”

Cat wrinkled her nose. “What I actually meant was that I didn’t want you to be in pain later. I do trust you not to let me die a fiery death, darling.”

“I drive these almost every week. I’m good. The car should be ready. Are you?” 

“Let’s go, Supergirl.”

They left the garage and made their way to the waiting car. Kara stepped up to the passenger side and lifted the door open before holding her hand out to Cat. 

“Give me your hand, they’re harder to get in than you think.” She said. Cat opened her mouth to argue, and Kara quickly cut her off. “Do you want to break the heels of those boots?”

Cat sighed in defeat and took her hand, lowering down into the car with as much grace as she could manage. 

It wasn’t a lot. 

“Do you mind if I do your harness for you?” Kara knelt on the ground beside the car as she began to ramble. “It’s just, it’ll be a lot less fun for you if it isn’t tight enough. But I totally get it if you’re not comfortable with me doing it.”

“It’s fine, Kara. Go ahead.” 

Cat watched as Kara fixed the harness against her body and adjusted it until it was uncomfortably snug; her eyes following the girl’s fingers across her torso as her heart rate skyrocketed. 

“I know it feels too tight as it is, but the speed will push you back into the seat, and it’ll be right.” Kara checked the fastenings one last time before glancing up at her. Cat nodded, unsure of her voice. 

The driver moved away, closing the door and clambering into her own side of the vehicle. Cat used the time it took her to fasten her own harness to calm herself.

Kara looked over once again. 

“Ready? It’s not too late to say no.”

“Drive the damn car, Kara.”

The young woman pressed some buttons on the steering wheel that Cat didn’t care to understand, and the car roared awake underneath them. She grinned at Cat one last time, and suddenly Cat was pressed forcefully back into her seat as the car took off. 

She would deny it if Kara ever brought it up, but Cat shrieked as Kara began to make the Ferrari fly. 


End file.
